Mickey Arthur likely to replace Gibson as head coach of West Indies

According to reports, former South Africa and Australia coach, Mickey Arthur, has emerged as a favourite to take over as coach of the West Indies cricket team, following the exit of Ottis Gibson.

Gibson abruptly ended his contract just before the start of the Bangladesh series earlier this week. Arthur, who recently coached the Jamaica Tallawahs, is likely to take over the position vacated by Gibson, CMC reported.

Chief executive of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Michael Muirhead, said the West Indian coaches are welcome to apply for the job.

"We would talk to everybody. We are going on a worldwide hunt. We would like to put it out there. We always would encourage West Indians but we have to evaluate them and put out our criteria. We would encourage West Indians. I can't put a time table until we see what the pool of coaches is," he said.

Following the exit of Gibson, team manager Richie Richardson was asked to take charge of the team on a interim basis for the series against Bangladesh which started on August 20.

"We are quite capable of functioning so as to carry the team through the Bangladesh series. Richie has the experience to keep players together. He is someone to maintain the cohesiveness," Muirhead said.

The Trinidad Guardian reported that Gibson and WICB cricket operations director Richard Pybus disagreed on several issues during a recent meeting held to discuss the team's poor performances.

The WICB directors were informed of the views of both Pybus and Gibson and they eventually decided to terminate Gibson's services, the Trinidad Guardian added.

When asked about these matters, Muirhead said: "At some point we needed to re-evaluate our position. We did and he [Gibson] did. This was the point where we re-evaluated. It was not a situation where we woke up and said it's time to go. It is a process. It evolved. It was not a single event that precipitated this. We have a director Mr. Pybus, I am accountable to a board."